Silver: No Investigation Into Rivera’s Hiring Needed

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver released a public statement saying there is no need for an investigation into Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera’s hiring of Tommy Torres, a City Council hopeful in Brooklyn who is reportedly romantically involved with Rivera. Here’s the statement: There are no violations to investigate regarding the employment of Mr. Thomas Torres by the New York State Assembly. As part of our standard employment review process, Assembly counsel double checks to make sure employment by an individual doesn’t violate the Assembly’s dual employment policy. Counsel’s prior approval is required to ensure there are no conflicts of interest or

After recent confirmation that the fast food restaurant’s president Dan Cathy has used profits to donate millions of dollars to anti-marriage-equality organizations, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn sent a letter to New York University president John Sexton two weekend’s ago asking him to end the school’s contract with Chick-fil-A. The school’s Weinstein Residence Hall food court is the only Chick-fil-A location in the city. Bronx Council Member Fernando Cabrera issued a statement opposing Quinn’s letter on Aug. 3, calling it an abuse of power and not representative of the entire Council.

NW Bronx Fall Primary Preview

The northwest Bronx saw an early, and extremely competitive, primary in June for the 13th Congressional District. In September, there will be a handful of Democratic primaries for state races in northwest Bronx districts. Some will be competitive. Others, probably not so much.

Rangel Emerges Victorious, Part of Bronx Family

Initially, Charlie Rangel wanted nothing to do with the Bronx. The 82-year-old legislative icon, a symbol of black political power and one-time student at DeWitt Clinton High School on Mosholu Parkway, was comfortable with upper Manhattan as his district and Harlem as his base. The Bronx seemed like foreign territory, not, as it has become, an extension of the district he had loved and fostered as a Congressman for the last 42 years.

In the Bronx, City Officials Introduce Two Health Initiatives

City officials hosted a press conference this week at a Bronx supermarket to introduce two health initiatives that they said would help New Yorkers shop, eat and be more healthy.

Espaillat Drops Lawsuit, Board Certifies Rangel’s Primary Victory

Yesterday, Adriano Espaillat dropped his lawsuit challenging the election results in the 13th Congressional District primary, which made way for the Board of Elections to certify incumbent Charlie Rangel’s slim primary victory.

Bronx Judge: BOE Must Preserve Ballots, Get Certification From Court For NY-13 Result

A Bronx Supreme Court judge met with lawyers from the Board of Elections and the Rangel and Espaillat campaigns this morning as officials began counting absentee and affadavit ballots in downtown Manhattan, more than a week after primary elections in the 13th Congressional District.

NY-13 Vote Count Update: 2,000 Absentee Ballots Still to Go as Espaillat Goes to Court

Lots going on today in the 13th Congressional District primary that is now heading into its ninth day without a clear result. Here’s where we are now: After completing its vote count of all the precincts (several precincts, mostly in the Bronx and upper Manhattan, were initially recorded as casting zero votes), the Board of Elections says State Senator Adriano Espaillat trails incumbent Congressman Charlie Rangel by 802 votes (or about 2%). There are still about 2,000 absentee and affidavit ballots that need to be counted. The tallying for those votes began this morning in downtown Manhattan with observers from both camps looking on.

Hold On, NY-13 Vote Up in the Air? Report: Espaillat Supporters Call For Monitor to Intervene

I was about to post our lead print story, which declared Charlie Rangel victorious in the hotly contested 13th Congressional District race, but that declaration may have been a bit premature. We may be heading to a recount.